season's greetings

Annual report

As I look back over the last year, one thing that bothers me is that I didn't quite fulfill what I wanted with this blog: to make a post, or more, about the fantastic indie authors I have run across. It wouldn't be hard to list maybe ten that made such an impression on me that it has lasted even until today. And these were for the most part books I never would have even found if I wasn't out there looking to market my own.

Another thing I can definitely say is that I have reached a point of diminishing returns with read-marketing, namely prowling on the six or more sites that I use, to find someone who will read my book in return for me reading another. I enjoy the reading; yes, I enjoy it immensely. But there are increasingly fewer books over time that I haven't already read, and this means a lot of prowling and not enough action. The sites (six or so, as I've said, though there are more and may be some good ones that I don't know about) are well-managed these days. People have figured out how to do it. There is a fairly tight group of authors who have read most of each other's work and are always willing to read something that hasn't been read. But the list of things that I've read is so extensive, I have to wait a week for an opening, and when I get it, some other author pounces on it in a flash - they are in the same straits I am in.

The answer is in pulling in lots of fresh blood. If the authors out there all knew about these sites there would be a lot more of them. I may do some pulling-in myself. It would be in my own self interest.

If the read-marketing logjams are stifling then it's a clear sign I should get back to my writing - I know I have plenty on my plate and plenty to do. The problem there is that so much of my life I'm in "distractable" mode - that is, I can be called away any minute, and am, so I hate it when I've gotten all absorbed in writing and then can't play it out. I save writing for those few times when I can get thinking about something and stay thinking about it, like when people are gone from my house leaving me alone. There are a few of those, but not enough. And late night is the best, but by then I'm exhausted and not good for much besides reading.

Starting this blog was a way of saying that yes, I'm totally immersed in this world these days. I will come out with a "Best of Indie" post soon - it's important to me to at least pass along the most interesting of things that are being written.